Turkey’s Erdogan Expands Powers

The Associated Press reports today that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won Sunday’s referendum that will enable him to appoint ministers, senior government officials and to hold sway over who sits in Turkey’s supreme courts. President Erdogan will also be able to issue decrees and declare states of emergency. Since the attempted coup in July 2016, a state of emergency has existed.

In a speech from an airport in Istanbul, President Erdogan said, “We have put up a fight against the powerful nations of the world. The crusader mentality attacked us abroad.” He then added, “Our concern is not what George or Hans or Helga says. Our concern is what Hatice, Ayse, Fatma, Ahmet, Mehmet, Hasan, Hüseyin says. What Allah says.”